As for the methods for producing optically active 1-phenylethanol derivatives, there have been disclosed:
1) the method which comprises allowing a microorganism belonging to the genus Ashbya or Ogataea or processed products thereof, for instance, to act on a 2-halo-1-(substituted phenyl)ethanone to form an optically active 2-halo-1-(substituted phenyl)ethanol (Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-04-218384 and Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-11-215995), and
2) the method which comprises allowing dry cells of Geotrichum candidum to act on a 1-(substituted phenyl)ethanone to form an optically active 1-(substituted phenyl)ethanol (J. Org. Chem., 63, 8957 (1998)).
As for the method for producing optically active 3-hydroxy ester derivatives, there has been disclosed:
3) the method which comprises allowing a recombinant Escherichia coli as obtained by introduction of a Sporobolomyces salmonicolor-derived aldehyde reductase gene to act on a 4-substituted acetoacetic acid ester to form an (R)-4-substituted-3-hydroxybutyric acid ester (Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-08-103269).
However, all of these methods allow only a low substrate charge concentration or give a low rate of conversion from substrate to product. Thus, more efficient production method has been desired.